Angels send reliever Mike Morin to triple-A Salt Lake
Angels relief pitcher Mike Morin delivers during a game against the Chicago White Sox on April 20.
Mike Morin opened 2016 as either the third or fourth reliever on the Angels’ depth chart. On Monday, he lost his spot among the top seven.
The Angels optioned him to triple-A Salt Lake after he yielded the game-winning homer to Houston’s Carlos Correa on Sunday. Recalled in his place was left-hander Chris Jones, a 27-year-old journeyman who had a 6.32 earned-run average in the minors.
Morin had a 5.48 ERA in 21 1/3 big league innings, although his strikeout-walk ratio portended more success — just as it did last year, when he had a 6.37 ERA despite 41 strikeouts in 35 1/3 innings.
“He was at about 25 outings, and 11 or 12 of them have been really good,” Angels Manager Mike Scioscia said. “The other half have been trouble.”
The Angels also activated closer Huston Street from the 15-day disabled list, where he had been for the last five weeks. Scioscia said the Angels are unconcerned about Street’s velocity, clocked no higher than 85 mph in a spring game Saturday.
To make room for Street, they designated right-hander Deolis Guerra for assignment. Recalled earlier this month from Salt Lake, Guerra allowed four runs over 5 1/3 innings. He was initially acquired in December’s Rule 5 draft.
Short hops
Third baseman Yunel Escobar did not start because of a bruised left wrist suffered Sunday, but he remains day to day. … Left-hander Tyler Skaggs threw two simulated innings at the Angels’ spring-training complex in Tempe, Ariz., and will now throw three innings Friday, according to Scioscia. … It has not been determined if left-hander C.J. Wilson, shut down with biceps tendinitis Saturday, will have an MRI exam. Wilson had said he would have one Tuesday.
Follow Pedro Moura on Twitter: @PedroMoura
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